Overview

The Sport Management MSc programme explores the multi-faceted area of sport management, combining specialist sport modules with practical experience in the industry. You will develop the skills to excel in a broad range of roles that make sport organisations run and events happen, including within governing bodies, federations, clubs, sponsors, marketing, the media, government, or heritage organisations.

This course is ideal for individuals with a degree in sport (management, coaching or science), event management, marketing, media, business management or humanities who wish to have a career in the sports industry.

You will explore a range of different sports and develop a critical perspective on contemporary themes such as ethical considerations, heritage and sport’s political, social, economic and cultural contexts. Areas of management that you will examine include marketing, leadership, governance and event organisation.

Practical experience working within a sport organisation is embedded into the programme and you will also be encouraged to volunteer at local, national, and international sporting events. We have excellent industry links and previous students have worked with Leicester Tigers, Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club, Leicester Riders’ Basketball Club and USA Bobsled and Skeleton and at the IAAF Indoor World Championships, British Rowing Indoor Championships, British Triathlon events and British Swimming Championships. Your learning will be enriched by DMU Global, where students have previously visited the Munich Olympic Park, Garmisch-Partenkirchen ski jump, and Allianz Arena.

Key features

• Study a range of sports to give you knowledge across the industry and develop the expertise that will enable you to work at a local, national and international level.
• Gain the skills and experience to be well-positioned for this competitive sector. You can get hands-on experience and have the opportunity to investigate a real-world problem for a sporting organisation with a business or heritage focused project.
• Take part in volunteering opportunities to kickstart your career. We have links to high-profile sporting organisations including the USA Bobsled and Skeleton, Leicester City Football Club, Leicester Tigers Rugby Football Club, the British Basketball League, Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club and the Nottingham Open.
• Develop a critical perspective on key issues impacting global sport by exploring ethics, governance and sport’s contemporary cultural contexts.
• Through DMU Global you will contextualise your learning, with opportunities to visit sport heritage sites and major sport venues in Germany and Austria.
• You can benefit from mentorship by sport industry professionals and insight from guest speakers who have recently included 2018 Olympian Jackie Narracott, a member of Under Armour’s global events team, Matthew Hochberg, the founder of Hochberg Sports Marketing in the USA and Lisa Allan, Competition Manager for the International Judo Federation.
• Learn in small groups and be part of a strong community in which students from across the globe bring their different perspectives, enhancing your international outlook.
• Enjoy opportunities with DMUsport which offers over 30 sports clubs and activities, as well as a comprehensive package of support for successful DMU Sports Scholars.

Structure and assessment

Course modules

Mega-Events: Global Sport in Perspective

Examines the contemporary landscape in global sport, focusing on mega-events. It explores their history, structures, governance, management, and commercial aspects, as well as bidding and hosting processes, infrastructure, management and control of events, security, marketing and media rights, and legacies.

Global Sport and Cultural Event Marketing

Examines sport and cultural event marketing opportunities within global settings. It explores key marketing concepts including the marketing environment, segmentation, targeting, and positioning (STP), the marketing mix, branding, and consumer and audience behaviour within international and global contexts.

Sport Ethics and Governance

Examines the ethical, legal, and organisational frameworks for sport. It explores a range of thematic case studies of problematic areas in sport, such as doping, violence, discrimination, child protection, the environment, and human rights.

Sport Heritage

Examines the growing phenomenon of sport heritage, whereby sport organisations and clubs showcase their history and heritage through such avenues as halls of fame, museums, stadium tours, and heritage-based merchandise. The module will include, when travel is permitted, visits to key sport sites and museums so that students can experience hands-on the ways in which heritage is presented and promoted.

Events Leadership 

Addresses the needs of individuals leading cultural, commercial, and sport events and events management organisations. It explores the advantages and weaknesses of public versus private ownership, and the skills needed to motivate, manage and organise staff and other stakeholders to create excellent events.

Optional modules (select one):

Fieldwork Experience

Provides students with hands-on experience working with a sport organisation or business. You will gain application and interview skills in the process of securing your fieldwork, and reflect at the end on the experience you have gained within the industry. The Fieldwork Experience is subject to permission from the programme team.

Conference Organisation and Presentation

The module is designed to train students in the skills involved in event organisation and presentation. It will involve collaborative as well as individual research skills. Students will be guided through the necessary training in organising a conference, choosing a topic and delivering a relevant paper. Students will be assigned roles (treasurer, programme developer, marketing manager, website designer) and will also present a paper at the conference. Students will be assessed on a reflective essay, outlining their contribution to the management of the conference and a written version of their presentation (including slides). Please visit the Conference Twitter handle @DMUHumsConf to sample previous years’ conferences.

Final project options (select one):

Consultancy Project

Offers an opportunity for students to complete a project related to a sport organisation or business, allowing them to apply knowledge gained on the course. Students write a business-focused report and make recommendations for the organisation.

Heritage Project

Offers an opportunity for students to complete a heritage-based project related to sport. This can include major projects such as exhibitions, cataloguing or digitising collections, or creating databases, completed in conjunction with an existing organisation. Students will also submit a final report analysing the project and experience.